The present invention relates to a liquid synfuel additive composition for application to materials such as coal for facilitating more complete and efficient combustion thereof.
The present invention builds on the subject matter of the earlier filed cases of which this is a continuation-in-part and shows the abilities of various metal oxides and chemical formulations to reduce opacity in coal fired boilers. The state of the art in this field of science has shown that when you reduce opacity in coal fired boilers you can reduce the over-fired air and thereby reduce NOx emissions.
The NOx reduction technology involves the use of additives like urea which decomposes to ammonia. The advantages of this are low cost and ease of manufacturing. The instant invention can be combined with a proprietary chemical change agent. The ability of the technology to reduce NOx depends on the appropriate combustion conditions. The inherent moisture and how much hydrogen a coal has also has an impact. A plant that uses high volume coal and dries coal out before burning is not an environment suitable for use of the technology. If burner peak temperatures approach 2500 F then the amount of NOx reduction is lessened.
The second part of the technology is compatible with both of the chemical change agents disclosed herein which is principally Titanium Dioxide suspended in a water based emulsion. Titanium Dioxide is used in SCR technology. When the Titanium Dioxide was applied to coal at a test to the coal at Dominion Power in Virginia the NOx dropped tremendously. There was also a positive residual effect after we had stopped applying the Titanium Dioxide.
The third part of the technology is suspending Iron Oxide in one of the disclosed chemical change agents herein. Tests run at the University of Richmond showed remarkable results. Opacity dropped from 40% to 0-5% in the tests. Again, opacity and NOx reduction are directly related. For satisfactory chemical change and merely 20% NOx reduction only 6 lbs. of either Titanium Dioxide or Iron Oxide is needed.
The inventions herein include compositions which are added to fuel or to the combustion zone. They contain NOx and/or capacity reducers. They may be added as a paste, liquid or solid. They may also be added to other fuel additives such a chemical change agents or reagents.
To date, the most successful formulations have contained either Titanium Dioxide or Iron Oxide. The Iron Oxide and Titanium Dioxide reduces NOx by the following reactions. They allow hydrogen from the water to strip off oxygen from the NOx or by forming ammonia.N2+3H2O—2NH3+1.5O2NH3+NOx—N2+H2O
The Iron Oxide, or FE203 was used in the test but other oxides of iron may be as effective. In a reducing atmosphere oxides of iron can form FeO. Opacity and NOx are related. Reducing one reduces the other. NO is one of the largest contributors to opacity since it has a reddish brown color. If Iron Oxide concentration in the stack are elevated NOx can be reduced, but opacity could remain the same or go up. FE203 is also a reddish brown color.
This invention also centers around a substance to convert raw coal fines into a synthetic fuel product. This substance, classified as a chemical change agent, contains functional groups, which are chemically active, and combine with coal to bring about a compositional change.
The invention encompasses the application of certain chemicals and compounds which can be used a bonafide chemical change reagent. These create a significant amount of chemical change when applied to the exterior of the coal to become a synfuel product. Furthermore, the enhancement of the basic chemical change reagent with ammonia like compounds, the chemical change agent will reduce NOx emissions in the exhausts gases created upon burning of said coal. The various formulations, including but not limited to those claimed below, can be utilized specifically for the purpose of being a sprayed on Nox reducing agent before the burner or combustion and ideally before the grinding of the coal. Grinding distributes the NOx reducers evenly. The use of a wetting agent promotes the absorption of the chemical change agent and NOx reducers into the coal thus improving chemical change and even distribution of NOx reducers. Titanium Dioxide can be added to the composition to promote NOx reduction since Titanium Dioxide acts as a catalyst for NOx reduction.
Ammonia like compounds consist essentially of amides, amines, amino acids and other chemical compounds containing at least one functional NH, NH2 or NH3 group. Ammonia like compounds act as NOx reducers when burned with coal. Hydrocarbon wax is used in some versions to keep the NOx reducing agents from leaching out. This is important since coal may be rained on during the transportation or in stockpiles. Hydrocarbon Wax may be selected from the group consisting of paraffin wax, slack wax, microcrystalline wax, olefinic wax, fatty acid and mixtures thereof. The product can be used as a chemical change agent, NOx reducing agent or both a chemical change agent and a NOx reducing agent.
This invention also is directed to the combination chemical change agent and NOx reducer acting to also reduce Sulfur Dioxide (SOx).